


A Breath Of Air

by kiyala



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-16
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-04-15 00:44:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4586538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been a week since Nishinoya's suspension and just a little more than that since Asahi stopped showing up to practice, and Daichi finally finds a moment to breathe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Breath Of Air

It's been a week since Nishinoya's suspension and just a little more than that since Asahi stopped showing up to practice, and Daichi finally finds a moment to breathe, like he's coming up for air after spending too long underwater. He's been busy, working late, losing sleep, reassessing their team and identifying their new weaknesses without their ace and libero, trying to think of how he can possibly fill the gaps. Nishinoya won't be back for another three weeks. Asahi won't be back until… he doesn't even know. Tanaka is restless, louder, brasher, like he's trying to make enough noise to make up for the others. 

Daichi has thought about going to Asahi three separate times this week, asking him to come back. Sugawara has stopped him every time, not even needing Daichi to voice his thoughts. He's right beside Daichi with a gentle touch to his shoulder, a sad but understanding smile, a small shake of the head. He's there, he's always there, and if Daichi is surfacing from underwater after drowning in his responsibilities, it's because Sugawara has his hand, is pulling him up, keeping him from sinking back down. 

They walk home together in the afternoon, with the sun sinking into the horizon, the air growing chilly, cooling them down after practice. It's the first time all week that Daichi's arms and legs aren't aching after pushing himself too hard. Sugawara looks relaxed beside him, walking with his hands in his pockets, looking ahead of him, oblivious to the fact that Daichi is watching him. 

The words come out of Daichi's mouth before he can even think to stop them: "I know what you're doing."

"Huh?" Sugawara blinks at him. "Me? Am I doing something?"

He's perfected his innocent look, but Daichi sees the glint in his eye. Of course he knows.

"With the team," Daichi elaborates anyway. "Without Asahi and Noya… I know you're stepping in to fill the gaps as much as you can."

Sugawara smiles sadly, his eyes downcast. "I don't think there's anything I can do to make up for both of them being gone. But we need to take care of everyone who is left, right? We need to make sure there's a team for them to come back to. I need to make sure our captain doesn't run himself into the ground before then."

With an embarrassed smile, Daichi turns his face away. "I'm sorry. I just…"

"You worry a lot," Sugawara finishes for him. He waits until Daichi turns back to him before continuing. "You're a good captain, Daichi."

With a rush of fondness, Daichi reaches out, brushing their fingers together. "I wouldn't be able to do this on my own. Every time I turn to look for you, you're already there."

Sugawara's expression softens and he strokes his thumb along Daichi's index finger slowly, then takes his hand. "Always. You know you can always rely on me to be here for you."

"I do," Daichi replies quietly. Sugawara's hand is warm in his, his palms rough, the back of his hand soft. Daichi tightens his grip on it and takes a breath. "Come over to my place for a bit? We can do our homework together."

Sugawara smiles in reply. This late in the afternoon, they don't have to let go of each other's hands as they walk to Daichi's house. Neither of them mention the fact that they've picked up their pace considerately, but they match each other without even having to think about it. 

They're one street away when Sugawara hums softly. "I don't have any homework, Daichi."

"Really?" Daichi smiles. They spent lunch time sitting together, going through their homework from their morning classes. They didn't have much homework from their afternoon classes, but made to finish what little there was before practice. "Funny you should say that. Me neither."

"But we're almost at your place…" Sugawara murmurs, and this is a game they play even though they really don't need to. They haven't had much time for this in the past week and it might not seem like long when Daichi thinks back on it, but it's an entirely different matter when they're seeing each other every day.

Daichi grins, letting go of Sugawara's hand so he can unlock the front door. His mother calls out a greeting to him as he and Sugawara take their shoes off, waving at them on their way to Daichi's room, telling them that Sugawara is welcome to stay for dinner. Daichi shuts the door behind him, putting his bag down. Sugawara sits on the floor in the middle of the room, hands resting on his knees as he smiles up at Daichi. 

Crossing the room in two long strides, Daichi kneels over Sugawara, hands resting on the sides of his face. Sugawara tilts his face up, letting Daichi pull him closer until their lips are pressed together. Daichi kisses him harder, taking a deep breath as he pulls Sugawara against him.

"Missed you," he whispers against Sugawara's lips, as their arms come around each other, holding on tightly. "Even with you right there. _Especially_ with you right there, I think."

"I missed you too," Sugawara murmurs. He brings his hand to Daichi's face, stroking his cheek with a thumb. "You've been so busy and you've taken so much upon yourself for the team. I just want you to think about yourself for a while."

Daichi can, when he's with Sugawara like this. He's safe in these hands, in the knowledge that Sugawara can anticipate what he needs, often before Daichi is even aware of it. Just as Sugawara is safe in his. They kiss again and Daichi gently nudges Sugawara towards his bed, so they can lean against it. 

Reaching for Sugawara's hand, Daichi links their fingers together and kisses him again. He brushes his lips over Sugawara's cheek, then trails kisses along his jaw and down his neck. "Koushi."

With a shaky breath, Sugawara tilts his head back, sliding his fingers into Daichi's hair. It's a clear request for more and Daichi is only too happy to oblige. He follows the curve of Sugawara's neck with his lips and tongue, feeling his Adam's apple bob as he swallows hard. Daichi smiles against Sugawara's skin, one hand resting on his chest, the other untucking his undershirt, sliding over the firm muscles of his stomach. 

Sugawara presses into the contact with a soft gasp. " _Daichi_." 

They kiss hard, jumping apart when they hear a knock on the door. It's Daichi's mother, who wants to know if Sugawara is staying for dinner. She knows not to open the door and Daichi takes advantage of that, leaning in to give Sugawara a quick kiss.

"Stay," he whispers, smiling when Sugawara nods, then raises his voice to confirm the same thing Daichi's mother.

"I'll call you to dinner in an hour," she tells them, and they can hear her slippers as she walks away. 

"An hour," Daichi murmurs, getting to his feet and pulling Sugawara up with him so they can settle on his bed. "There's a lot we could do in that time."

"With your mother on the other side of the door?" Sugawara asks with a smile, even as he lies back on the bed, pulling Daichi down into a kiss.

"Yeah, okay," Daichi concedes, kneeling over Sugawara. He brushes their noses together and watches as Sugawara's eyes flutter shut. Daichi leans in, pressing a kiss to each eyelid, to the tip of his nose, to his mouth. "But we can do this, right?"

He feels Sugawara's smile against his mouth rather than seeing it. Sugawara pulls Daichi down to lie on top of him. He can take Daichi's weight on top of him, and they both know it. Daichi presses Sugawara into the mattress, pulling back to look at him.

"Just kissing you for an hour?" Sugawara smiles, propping himself up by the elbows to press a gentle kiss to Daichi's lips. "That sounds good to me."

"Yeah." Daichi combs his fingers through Sugawara's hair, smiling as he leans into the touch. "Me too."


End file.
